Buddy Walk 2016 is going to be on September 10th at Ashe County High School. Please check back soon to see updated information and to register your team!

The Buddy Walk® was created by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. The Buddy Walk has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to nearly 275 walks planned for 2013 worldwide. In 2012, more than $11.75 million was raised nationwide to benefit local programs and services, as well as the national advocacy initiatives of NDSS that benefit all individuals with Down syndrome. 2013 was the first year that the Buddy Walk came to the High Country!

The primary goal of the Buddy Walk is to promote the awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome. Families and friends whose lives have been touched by Down syndrome will join members of our communities in helping to raise awareness concerning the abilities people with Down syndrome possess.

The Buddy Walk of the High Country 2013 was a HUGE success. 2014 was even better! 2015 was great too!

2015 was a great success….we had a lot walkers, a good number of teams, and raised over $15,000 for local families and outreach activities. Our sponsors were a big part of that….thank you thank you thank you Mountain Town Dental, Caleb’s Heart, Boondocks, Watauga Farm Bureau, Ashe County High School Interact Club, G.E. Volunteers, RDR Kennel, Skyline Telephone, Mountain Aire Golf, Jones Hardwood Floors, AEV, Miller Insurance, New Beginnings Church, AFLAC, Caroline West Wireless, SNAP by Ang, Russell Killen Auctions, Blue Ridge Vacation Cabins, Hardees, United Chemicon, Life Store Bank, Vannoy Construction and Mount Jefferson Family Medicine and Ashe Services for Aging.

If you’d like more information, please click here for links to different resources.

Through our Buddy Walk of the High Country we raise funds for Public Awareness and Education events as well as for small individual grants to families of and individuals with Down syndrome. These grants can be used for medical expenses, specialized or basic equipment, educational needs and programs that enrich development, recreational programs and more. Please click on this link to find the application.